OPT Forward Deployed Engineering Jobs
Forward Deployed Engineering roles place engineers directly at client sites to build, configure, and troubleshoot software in real-world environments. For F-1 OPT students, these roles qualify as STEM OPT-eligible positions when the employer files an I-983 and the work is directly tied to your degree field.
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KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.
Group/Division
The KLA Services team headquartered in Milpitas, CA is our service organization that consists of Service Sales and Marketing, Spares Supply Chain management, Field Operations, Engineering, Product Training, and Technical Support. The KLA Services organization partners with our field teams and customers in all business sectors to maintain the high performance and productivity of our products through a flexible portfolio of services. Our comprehensive services include: proactive management of tools to identify and improve performance; expertise in optics, image processing and motion control with worldwide service engineers, 24/7 technical support teams and knowledge management systems; and an extensive parts network to ensure worldwide availability of parts.
Job Description/Preferred Qualifications
Key Responsibilities
- Embed with KLA teams — including teams where nobody has written a line of code — and map their highest-friction workflows to AI-automatable solutions
- Ship production agent systems within weeks of starting an engagement; iterate with the team until the system is stable and trusted
- Build executive and business-facing AI tools: email summarization, meeting prep, action item tracking, cross-document intelligence, and presentation assembly from source data
- Build agent wrappers around existing data infrastructure without rewriting source systems
- Help build internal AI infrastructure that removes friction and makes every employee at KLA more effective with AI — not just the technical ones
- Design reusable patterns and components that accelerate every future deployment — what you build once should make the next deployment faster
- Build integration layers that connect enterprise tools into unified AI-ready environments for non-technical users
- Identify and train the local AI champion on every engagement — transfer ownership completely and leave a written playbook
- Contribute implementation patterns and best-known-methods to the team's internal library for citizen developer enablement
- Stay ahead of the model and tooling frontier: track releases from major providers and the agentic orchestration ecosystem, and bring what's relevant back to the team
Qualifications
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
- 1+ years of experience building and deploying AI/ML systems or data-intensive applications (strong new grads with demonstrated projects considered)
- Strong programming skills in Python; experience with SQL and data pipeline tooling
- Hands-on experience with LLM APIs and agentic orchestration frameworks
- Experience building RAG systems, document ingestion pipelines, and experimenting with model harnesses
- Experience or strong interest in building plugin architectures, skill distribution systems, or extensible tool platforms
Minimum Qualifications
Master's Level Degree and 0 years related work experience; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 2 years
Base Pay Range: $94,100.00 - $160,000.00 Annually
Primary Location: USA-MI-Ann Arbor-KLA
KLA’s total rewards package for employees may also include participation in performance incentive programs and eligibility for additional benefits including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, life, and other voluntary benefits, 401(K) including company matching, employee stock purchase program (ESPP), student debt assistance, tuition reimbursement program, development and career growth opportunities and programs, financial planning benefits, wellness benefits including an employee assistance program (EAP), paid time off and paid company holidays, and family care and bonding leave. Interns are eligible for some of the benefits listed. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed reflects the pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including state minimum pay wage rates, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal and state minimum wage requirements where applicable. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at talent.acquisition@kla.com or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.
Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees. KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings. KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers. If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to talent.acquisition@kla.com to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.
Company Overview
KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.
Group/Division
The KLA Services team headquartered in Milpitas, CA is our service organization that consists of Service Sales and Marketing, Spares Supply Chain management, Field Operations, Engineering, Product Training, and Technical Support. The KLA Services organization partners with our field teams and customers in all business sectors to maintain the high performance and productivity of our products through a flexible portfolio of services. Our comprehensive services include: proactive management of tools to identify and improve performance; expertise in optics, image processing and motion control with worldwide service engineers, 24/7 technical support teams and knowledge management systems; and an extensive parts network to ensure worldwide availability of parts.
Job Description/Preferred Qualifications
Key Responsibilities
- Embed with KLA teams — including teams where nobody has written a line of code — and map their highest-friction workflows to AI-automatable solutions
- Ship production agent systems within weeks of starting an engagement; iterate with the team until the system is stable and trusted
- Build executive and business-facing AI tools: email summarization, meeting prep, action item tracking, cross-document intelligence, and presentation assembly from source data
- Build agent wrappers around existing data infrastructure without rewriting source systems
- Help build internal AI infrastructure that removes friction and makes every employee at KLA more effective with AI — not just the technical ones
- Design reusable patterns and components that accelerate every future deployment — what you build once should make the next deployment faster
- Build integration layers that connect enterprise tools into unified AI-ready environments for non-technical users
- Identify and train the local AI champion on every engagement — transfer ownership completely and leave a written playbook
- Contribute implementation patterns and best-known-methods to the team's internal library for citizen developer enablement
- Stay ahead of the model and tooling frontier: track releases from major providers and the agentic orchestration ecosystem, and bring what's relevant back to the team
Qualifications
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field
- 1+ years of experience building and deploying AI/ML systems or data-intensive applications (strong new grads with demonstrated projects considered)
- Strong programming skills in Python; experience with SQL and data pipeline tooling
- Hands-on experience with LLM APIs and agentic orchestration frameworks
- Experience building RAG systems, document ingestion pipelines, and experimenting with model harnesses
- Experience or strong interest in building plugin architectures, skill distribution systems, or extensible tool platforms
Minimum Qualifications
Master's Level Degree and 0 years related work experience; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 2 years
Base Pay Range: $94,100.00 - $160,000.00 Annually
Primary Location: USA-MI-Ann Arbor-KLA
KLA’s total rewards package for employees may also include participation in performance incentive programs and eligibility for additional benefits including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, life, and other voluntary benefits, 401(K) including company matching, employee stock purchase program (ESPP), student debt assistance, tuition reimbursement program, development and career growth opportunities and programs, financial planning benefits, wellness benefits including an employee assistance program (EAP), paid time off and paid company holidays, and family care and bonding leave. Interns are eligible for some of the benefits listed. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed reflects the pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including state minimum pay wage rates, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal and state minimum wage requirements where applicable. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at talent.acquisition@kla.com or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.
Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees. KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings. KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers. If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to talent.acquisition@kla.com to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.
See all 70+ OPT Forward Deployed Engineering Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Forward Deployed Engineering Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Forward Deployed Engineering
Confirm your degree aligns with the role
Forward Deployed Engineering requires hands-on technical work, typically in software or systems engineering. Your OPT authorization must match your degree field, so confirm the job description reflects the discipline on your EAD before applying.
Prioritize employers with I-983 experience
STEM OPT extension requires your employer to submit a formal training plan. Ask recruiters early whether they have filed I-983 forms before. Companies that have sponsored STEM OPT students previously move faster and make fewer compliance errors.
Clarify client site work authorization logistics
Forward Deployed Engineers often work at client locations, not the sponsoring employer's office. Confirm your employer understands that OPT authorization is tied to your primary employer, not the client site, to avoid compliance confusion during onboarding.
Document project outcomes for your I-983 training plan
Your STEM OPT training plan must connect your daily work to your degree. Keep records of technical projects, client deployments, and engineering outcomes. This documentation supports both your I-983 and any future H-1B visa petition from the same employer.
Ask about H-1B sponsorship before accepting an offer
OPT has a hard end date. Before committing to a role, ask directly whether the company sponsors H-1B visas and has done so recently. Companies deploying engineers at client sites vary significantly in their willingness and capacity to sponsor long-term.
Account for travel requirements in your OPT planning
Forward Deployed roles involve frequent domestic or international travel. International travel on OPT requires a valid visa stamp, current EAD, and employer support letter. Plan reentry logistics carefully, especially if you travel during an active STEM OPT extension period.
Forward Deployed Engineering OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Forward Deployed Engineering qualify for STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if the role is technical in nature and directly tied to a STEM-designated degree field such as computer science, software engineering, or a related discipline. The employer must complete Form I-983 and create a formal training plan outlining how the work develops your STEM skills. Roles that are primarily client management or sales, even with an engineering title, may not qualify.
Where can I find Forward Deployed Engineering jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and surfaces Forward Deployed Engineering roles at companies that actively work with international candidates. Searching general job boards wastes time because most listings don't indicate sponsorship willingness. Migrate Mate filters for OPT-compatible employers so you're not applying blind.
Can I work at a client site as an OPT student without violating my work authorization?
Yes, but your employment authorization is tied to your employer of record, not the client location. The company that filed your I-983 or is listed on your training documentation is your legal employer. Working on client projects through that employer is standard practice in Forward Deployed roles and does not violate OPT rules, as long as the engagement is supervised by your authorized employer.
What happens to my OPT if I switch from a Forward Deployed Engineering role to a different position at the same company?
A change in job function can affect your STEM OPT if the new role no longer aligns with your degree field. You must update your I-983 training plan to reflect the new position and have your employer sign off on the revised plan. Notify your DSO promptly, as any material change to your employment must be reported within your program's required reporting window.
Do Forward Deployed Engineering roles typically lead to H-1B sponsorship?
Many companies that hire Forward Deployed Engineers are mid-to-large enterprise software or consulting firms, which often have established H-1B sponsorship processes. However, sponsorship is not guaranteed. The technical nature of the role strengthens an H-1B specialty occupation argument. Ask directly during the offer stage and request to speak with the company's immigration team or legal counsel before signing.